Hilly 50 with Cadence Control – Peak Phase 1 | Week 2 | Run 3

My Road to TOWaterfront 42K

Drum Buddy ticked the beat up every 10 minutes – 153, 154, 155, 156, 157 bpm – and I kept myself disciplined. This was a fasted run, and while I felt strong enough to push, I held back to stay within prescription. On the flats and ascents alike, the legs wanted to let loose, but I reined the horses in, saving proper race-pace effort for Sunday’s long run.

Near the end, I had to sprint across on a stale traffic light, and I expect that’s where the HR spike shows. The question is: did it settle back quickly afterward?

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📊 Metrics at a Glance

• Duration: 50:12
  
• Distance: 7.15 km
  
• Average Pace: 7:01/km (11:17/mi)
  
• NGP: 6:51/km
  
• Calories: 565 kcal
  
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 138 m / 141 m
  
• Average HR: 137 bpm | Max HR: 154 bpm
  
• Pa:HR: 5.38%
  
• rTSS / hrTSS: 70 / 45
  
• IF (pace): 0.70
  
• Cadence: 166 spm avg | Max 190 spm
  
• VAM: 165 m/h (≈ 0.83 W/kg)
  

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📦 What the Numbers Say

• Pa:HR (5.4%) is right on the aerobic stability threshold – controlled for a hilly fasted effort.
  
• NGP (6:51/km) suggests you worked slightly harder than raw pace shows.
  
• HR spike late is visible but returned quickly to trend, confirming no lingering strain.
  
• Cadence average (166 spm) tracked right with the Drum Buddy increments.
  

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🧢 Coach’s Corner

Execution vs Plan
Planned: 50 minutes steady, Z2, cadence control. ✔️ Executed: 50:12, right on time, with cadence anchored and HR contained.

Performance Quality
Strong aerobic control. Even in a fasted state and with hilly terrain, you kept effort in line with Z2. The sprint to beat the light was just a blip – HR settled quickly afterward, showing good recovery.

Advisability
Advisable. You resisted the urge to push harder, keeping the purpose of the run intact. That discipline will pay dividends when it’s time to shift gears on long run day.

Hilliness Impact
138 m gain gave it bite, but you managed both the climbs and cadence well. NGP shows effort adjusted naturally without drifting into overexertion.

Efficiency Check
Pa:HR at 5.4% is efficient given hills and fasted status. Aerobic efficiency continues to trend solid.

Takeaway
This was a textbook control run: discipline, measured cadence, and smart restraint, even when feeling strong.

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Conclusion

A hilly, fasted 50 minutes with cadence climbing steadily from 153 to 157 bpm. I felt powerful but kept it in the box, preserving energy for the big long run ahead.